Capsaicin, a pungent substance derived from the plants of the solanaceae family (hot chili peppers) has long been used as an experimental tool because of its selective action on the small diameter afferent nerve fibers C-fibers and A-delta fibers that are believed to signal pain. From studies in animals, capsaicin appears to trigger C-fiber membrane depolarization by opening cation channels permeable to calcium and sodium. Recently one of the receptors for capsaicin effects has been cloned. Capsaicin can be readily obtained by ethanol extraction of the fruit of capsicum frutescens or capsicum annum. Capsaicin is known by the chemical name N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-8-methylnon-trans-6-enamide. Capsaicin is practically insoluble in water, but freely soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene and chloroform. Therapeutically capsaicin has been used as a topical analgesic. Capsaicin is available commercially as Capsaicin USP from Steve Weiss & Co., 315 East 68th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021 and can also be prepared synthetically by published methods. See Michalska et al., “Synthesis and Local Anesthetic Properties of N-substituted 3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine Derivatives”, Diss Pharm. Pharmacol., Vol. 24, (1972), pp. 17-25, (Chem. Abs. 77: 19271a), discloses N-pentyl and N-hexyl 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetamides which are reduced to the respective secondary amines.
Capsaicin is listed in the pharmacopoeias of the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland and has previously been listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia and the National Formulary. The FDA proposed monographs on analgesic drug products for over-the-counter (OTC) human use. These include capsaicin and capsicum preparations that are regarded as safe and effective for use as OTC external analgesics. Capsaicin is the only chemical entity of Capsicum recognized by the FDA. Capsaicin (USP) contains not less than 110% total capsaicinoids which typically corresponds to 63% pure capsaicin. USP capsaicin is trans-capsaicin (55-60%) and also contains the precursors dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin.
Capsaicin mediated effects include: (i) activation of nociceptors in peripheral tissues; (ii) eventual desensitization of peripheral nociceptors to one or more stimulus modalities; (iii) cellular degeneration of sensitive A-delta and C-fiber afferents; (iv) activation of neuronal proteases; (v) blockage of axonal transport; and (vi) the decrease of the absolute number of nociceptive fibers without affecting the number of non-nociceptive fibers.
The dosage forms of capsaicin which have been most widely studied clinically are capsaicin containing creams (Zostrix, Zostrix-HP, and Axsain). These products have been examined in a broad spectrum of painful conditions including osteoarthritis. However the efficacy of topically administered capsaicin in arthritis in general has proven to be limited.
Prior publications describe topical administration of capsaicin for the treatment of various conditions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,853 (Bernstein) describes methods and compositions utilizing capsaicin as an external analgesic. U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,060 (Bernstein) describes compositions and methods for treating painful, inflammatory or allergic disorders. U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,879 (Adekunle, et al.) describes methods for preparing a non-greasy capsaicin gel for topical administration for the treatment of pain. U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,225 (Adekunle, et al.) describes indirect methods of treating orofacial pain with topical capsaicin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,378 (Davis, et al.) describes transdermal therapeutic formulations comprising capsaicin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent and pamabrom for the treatment of pain. U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,788 (Robbins, et al.) describes administration of 7.5% capsaicin cream in combination with marcaine epidural injections in patients suffering from long-term persistent foot pain. U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,180 (Robbins) describes combining capsaicin loaded patches with local anesthesia to treat peripheral neuropathy. The use of topical capsaicin has also been described in the art to treat conditions as diverse as post mastectomy pain syndrome (Watson and Evans, Pain 51: 375-79 (1992)); painful diabetic neuropathy (Tandan et al., Diabetes Care 15: 8-13 (1992)); The Capsaicin Study Group, Arch Intern Med 151: 2225-9 (1991); post-herpetic neuralgia (Watson et al., Pain 33: 333-40 (1988)), Watson et al., Clin. Ther. 15: 510-26 (1993); Bernstein et al., J. Am Acad Dermatol 21: 265-70 (1989) and pain in Guillian-Barre syndrome (Morganlander et al., Annals of Neurology 29:199 (1990)). Capsaicin has also been used in the treatment of osteoarthritis (Deal et al., Clin Ther 13: 383-95 (1991); McCarthy and McCarthy, J. Rheumatol 19: 604-7 (1992); Altman et al., Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism 23: 25-33 (1994). In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,342 (LaHann) describes oral and subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of a combination of capsaicin or a capsaicin analog with an opioid analgesic. U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,958 (LaHann) describes intrathecal, epidural, intramuscular, intravenous, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous administration of capsaicin utilizing a “stair-step” dosing pattern.
Humans have long been exposed to dietary sources of capsaicin-containing spices and to topical preparations used for a variety of medical indications. This vast experience has not revealed significant or lasting adverse effects of capsaicin exposure. The recent determination of capsaicin's potential therapeutic effects on unmyelinated sensory afferent nerve fibers require diligent consideration of this compound for further pharmaceutical development.
Because of the ability of capsaicin to desensitize nociceptors in peripheral tissues, its potential analgesic effects have also been assessed in various clinical trials. However, since the application of capsaicin itself frequently causes burning pain and hyperalgesia apart from the neuropathic pain being treated, patient compliance has been poor and the drop out rates during clinical trials have exceeded fifty percent. The spontaneous burning pain and hyperalgesia are believed to be due to intense activation and temporary sensitization of the peripheral nociceptors at the site of capsaicin application. This activation and sensitization occur prior to the desensitization phase. The activation phase could be a barrier to use of capsaicin because of the pain produced.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide methods and compositions including capsaicin or capsaicin analogues thereof with effective concentrations to cause an analgesic effect without the side effects normally associated with the use of capsaicin.